Little Deuce Coupe

[chadrog]

Johnson Creek is a great field, well worth the trip. A bonus to the trip is the Hobbytown USA in the mall @ Hwy. 83 and 94 - A great selection of Estes BP motors at prices unseen in a hobby shop.

[scsager]

Busy week
Saturday - Sheboygan watching Rockets for Schools - cool seeing the US Coast Guard and others making rocket retrieval from Lake Michigan!!
Sunday - Mothers Day
Tuesday - our anniversary, 19 years
Thursday - Wife's Birthday

Where does the time go? Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? (Chicago - a classic)

Now back to the build…

The epoxy has cured in the nose, and I carefully cut, trimmed, sanded the dowel pin flush with the surface. The two holes that I drilled and left with no dowel filled nicely with epoxy and required no sanding, just a little Bondo glazing putty.




Rail buttons mounted - used the original from railbuttons.com - wish I purchased a lot more of these.




The layout of this rocket only allows 125mm (about 5 inches) for the recovery materials. This is the one weak area in the build where the airframe is only plain BT80. I opted to cut a custom piece of coupler for this section which greatly increases the strength.




The coupler was glued inside the upper airframe, and three vent holes were drilled. The vent holes serve two purposes. First they are required if using the AltimeterTwo. More importantly, they allow the airframe to vent (ground
Level) air pressure. Without venting, the airframe has a greater tendency to separate at altitude.

[scsager]

I have found out my skinny 9 year old daughter can fit her arm inside the airframe. I have not devised a specific method for mounting a tracker.
I just left the 3/4" hole in the base of the nose cone open for a place for the tracker/antenna to go.




Shock cord tied to the nose cone with an overhand loop, simple and effective. I'm confident about the Kevlar, under extreme force it will probably cut through the plastic.



The ejection charge will push off the ... Plastic nose cone with 100g weight, shock cord, and upper airframe w/coupler. Combined weight 225g. Upper airframe will stay with the nose cone. ( mid-break design)
The fin can section and 2 burned out motors weigh 275g.


Time for a Family Photo Op.

From the left, A rebuild, "Potential Shred - in Metallic Red" BT80, split fins, built for the H165R redline in my motor box .
Recently completed Executioner Clone (build thread here) now sports a Metallic Blue fade to Metallic Black paint job.
Front and center "Little Deuce Coupe" in primer and Bondo Glazing putty.
Black and white with Gold nose = Rebuilding Last Years' "ZeroMax" a prototype 2xG80 rocket flown at MWP9.
Right - two just completed Estes K-55 Goblin clones waiting for paint.

[qquake2k]

Looking good!

[CarVac]

It seems you listed the photo contents from left to right, not right to left. Just saying.

[scsager]

It seems you listed the photo contents from left to right, not right to left. Just saying.

Ok - fixed...

[McKailas Dad]

Scott, you got this 'hot rod' ready to fly yet?

I really want to see it fly....

BTW, I can give you directions to Johnson Creek (hint-hint)

[scsager]

I learned a lot about paint by challenging myself to do a flame job. This is the first one I have ever done.

I started with a base of Rustolium 2x white primer.

The fin can section got a coat of Black Metallic.

The upper section got a colorful fade with fluorescent red/orange, yellow and green. I used a combination of Valspar and Rustolium fluorescents.

I decided on a style called Crab Claw flames. I used frisket material from an art store for the mask. There is still some touch up work on the paint to be done and a couple of coats of clear to add.

It's getting close to being really done...

Still have to get a tracker.

[chadrog]

Looks fantastic Scott! Guess I'll let you off the hook for missing the launch this weekend.

[qquake2k]

Incredible flame job!

[scsager]

Looks fantastic Scott! Guess I'll let you off the hook for missing the launch this weekend.

Daughter #2 Girl Scout Camping Saturday overnight. Daughter #1 Sweet 16 Birthday Sunday. I really wanted to attend this weekend, even for just a short while, but no joy.

Now I'm wondering if I can slap together an OCC bash in the next 3 weeks...

Also completing a Leviathan ( a really nice Kit) modded with a mid break baffle. Plus a ton more in the build queue..

Gotta' remember to charge up the battery and check the GSE for Johnson Creek on the 17th.

I better start a to-do list...

[scsager]

Jim -

Thanks - looks nice now -

Didn't post the part where I tried putting down black first - then color for the flames (didn't work) sanded that all off...

Too heavy on the FL. green... crackel city - sanded that off.

Too heavy on the black, soaked thru the paper masked area - black blotches all over the orange - sanded all that off...

I'ver never worked this hard at paint. The spirals are filled (fron painting and repainting) I did'nt even try to fill them.

[qquake2k]

Jim -

Thanks - looks nice now -

Didn't post the part where I tried putting down black first - then color for the flames (didn't work) sanded that all off...

Too heavy on the FL. green... crackel city - sanded that off.

Too heavy on the black, soaked thru the paper masked area - black blotches all over the orange - sanded all that off...

I'ver never worked this hard at paint. The spirals are filled (fron painting and repainting) I did'nt even try to fill them.

Well, your efforts paid off. It looks great!

[John Beans]

Nicely done!